Ball mixing device

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for mixing a plurality of balls and placing them in a fixed pattern for playing a game including a ball positioning plate coacting with a ball guide plate wherein the guide plate is movable toward and away from the positioning plate to permit mixing of the balls in a mixing chamber. In the playing of a game, the balls will have suitable indicia thereon, and cover means will be provided to conceal the indicia following the mixing and placing of balls in a fixed pattern with respect to the positioning plate. Thereafter, the covers may be removed selectively to reveal the indicia of the balls.

United States Patent Curtner 154] BALL MIXING DEVICE [72] lnventor: Larry C. A. Curtner, 11914 South Lowe Ave, Chicago, 111. 60628 22 Filed: Aug. 28, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 67,754

i [52] U.S. Cl. ..27, /l44 B [51] Int. Cl. ..A63f 7/04 [58] Field of Search ..273,'l44 R, 144 B, 144 A, 142 R,

273/142 A, 142 B, 142 C, 142 D, 142 E, 142 R142 G, 142 H, 142 HA, 142 1,142 JA,142 JB, 1421C, 142JD,142K,138R,138A

[15] 3,658,341 51 Apr. 25, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 548,391 10/1922 France -273/l44A 637,904 11/1936 Germany ..273/l38R Primary E.raminer-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney-Kinzer, Dorn & Zickert [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for mixing a plurality of balls and placing them in a fixed pattern for playing a game including a ball positioning plate coacting with a ball guide plate wherein the guide plate is movable toward and away from the positioning plate to permit mixing of the balls in a mixing chamber. In the playing of a game, the balls will have suitable indicia thereon, and cover means will be provided to conceal the indicia following the mixing and placing of balls in a fixed pattern with respect to the positioning plate. Thereafter, the covers may be removed selectively to reveal the indicia of the balls.

32 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures III'I'ENTIT F ES I??? 3, 5 ,341 SHEET 2 OF 6 NQE INVENTOR LARRY C A. CURTNER BY My A; O'RNEYS PATEHTWWS I972 3, 658.341 SHEET 3 BF 6 INVENTOR L1 I] [*1 '1 Y LARRY C. A. CURTNER r 44 F165 A M/91M ATTORNEYS ENTOR LARRY CURTNER F1611 AQZBLAMK A TORNEYS BALL MIXING DEVICE -The present invention relates to a ball mixing device or apparatus capable of mixing a plurality of balls and thereafter placing them in a fixed pattern that may be utilized for the playing of a game.

While ball mixing devices have been heretofore'known, none have been known to handle a complete set of balls, wherein the balls may be thoroughly mixed again and again and placed in a fixed pattern to facilitate the playing of a game.

The ball mixing device of the invention includes a main body having a bottom wall and upstanding side walls, a control cylinder mounted centrally within the body and guidably movable along the vertical, a guide plate around the control cylinder and movable from an upper position to a lower position within the body, a positioning plate at the upper end of the body having a plurality of ball at sockets into which the balls may move and take a fixed pattern. The guide plate in its upper position holds the balls in the sockets of the positioning plate, while in the lower position permits the balls to be in a free state within the main body and thereby be mixable to thereafter be placed in a different fixed pattern with respect to the positioning plate. Movement of the guide plate from its upper position to its lower position is controlled by the control cylinder which is capable of locking the guide plate in a lower position during the mixing operation. Ball covers are provided to cover the balls when in their fixed pattern, it being assumed that the balls have identifying indicia thereon distinguishing them from each other. Thus, the ball covers conceal the identifying indicia when the covers are in place. A holding lid is positionable over the ball covers to hold them in position during the mixing of the balls. Removal of the lid allows the covers to be selectively removed from the balls.

An example of a game that may be played with the ball mixing device of the invention would require an equal number of balls wherein they would consist of a number of pairs that would be matchable. A pair of balls 'would have like identifying indicia thereon, whether that be color, letter or number indicia. Two sets of ball covers would be provided of different color, one set of which would be in place following a mixing operation. A player would select two covers to lift and view the identifying indicia, and if the balls matched, a second set of covers of a different color would be used to cover those balls and indicate that they are no longer in play. The player identifying the balls would then keep the original covers at his playing station. Following the matching of all pairs of balls, the players would count their covers to determine the winner.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved ball mixing device or apparatus for mixing a complete set of balls and placing the entire set into a fixed pattern so as to facilitate the playing of a game.

Another object of this invention is in the provision of a ball mixing device including a positioning plate having means for positioning a set of balls in a fixed pattern, a guide plate movable toward and away from the positioning plate for selectively conditioning the device to mix the balls or to hold them in a fixed pattern, and a ball mixing chamber capable of permitting full mixing of the balls when the guide plate is arranged in such space relationship from the positioning plate as to allow the balls to be in a free state.

Another object of this invention is in the provision of a ball mixing device capable of being used to play a number of different games.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the ball mixing device ac cording to the invention;

F IG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of the ball mixing device and showing the parts in location to fix the pattern of the balls;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the ball mixing device taken through the center thereof, and illustrating the guide plate in position to permit mixing of the balls,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the main body with all of the parts removed to especially illustrate the bottom wall;

FIG. 5 is a vertical elevational view of the control cylinder of the ball mixing device;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the control cylinder of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of one form of ball cover used with the ball mixing device;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the ball cover of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the holding lid for maintaining the ball covers in a predetermined location;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the holding lid with some parts broken away;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the positioning plate as removed from the ball mixing device;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the guide plate as removed from the ball mixing device;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a modified ball cover and positioning plate with a latch means for holding the ball covers in place;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken through a ball mixing device according to the invention and illustrating a modification, and especially a modified positioning plate and ball cover structure;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view with parts cut away of the ball cover shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of a modified guide plate for use in a modification of the invention and wherein the guide plate has ball depressions or sockets;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary cut away view of the ball mixing device utilizing the guide plate of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of a further modified guide plate for the ball mixing device of the invention;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a modified ball mixing device according to the invention which utilizes the guide plate of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of a modified positioning plate to be used in a modified ball mixing device according to the inventlon.

FIG. 21 is a vertical sectional view taken through a modified ball mixing device utilizing the positioning plate of FIG. 20; and

FIG. 22 is a vertical elevational view of the control cylinder for the modification of FIGS. 20 and 21.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the ball mixing device of the invention, generally designated by the numeral 25, is shown in assembled relation and as it would appear sitting on a surface such as a table or the like. As

seen also in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ball mixing device includes generally a main body 26, a control cylinder 27 arranged centrally within the main body, a guide plate 28, a positioning plate 29, balls 30, ball covers 31 and a holding lid 32.

In the general operation of the device, the control cylinder 27 is raised vertically to engage the guide plate 28, and where the ball covers 31 and holding lid 32 are in position as shown, the control cylinder is depressed downwardly with the guide plate to the position as shown in FIG. 3 to allow the balls 30 to take a free state and be mixed in the ball mixing chamber 33. Following a thorough mixing, the control cylinder is operated to allow the guide plate 28 to move to the position shown in FIG. 2, thereby fixing the pattern of the balls relative to the positioning plate 29. Thereafter, removal of the holding lid 32 and selective removal of ball covers 31 will reveal the positions of the balls 30. It will be understood that the balls will carry suitable identifying indicia, that may be in the form of color, letters or numbers, or any combination thereof. Subsequent mixing and pattern setting operations can be accomplished.

Themain body 26 includes a bottom wall 35, and an upstanding wall 36 that is frusto-conical in shape and extends upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall 35. Accordingly,

the upstanding side wall 36 tapers inwardly from the bottom wall and terminates at the upper end with a short cylindrical section 37 at the upper end. The body could be otherwise shaped if desired, and still carry out the functions needed.

The control cylinder 27 is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a cylindrically upstanding wall 39, terminating at its upper end in a top wall 40 having formed thereon a knob or handle 41 for gripping same and controlling its operation. The control cylinder is vertically guided relative the main body, and especially the bottom wall 35 of the main body, by a vertically extending cylindrical guide 42 extending up from and integral with the bottom wall 35 and telescoping within the control cylinder side wall 39. Accordingly, the control cylinder 27 is vertically movable along a controlled vertical path.

When the balls 30 are in their fixed pattern condition as shown in FIG. 2, the control cylinder is locked to the bottom wall 35 of the main body by a plurality of locking lugs 44 which extend perpendicularly from the bottom edge of the control cylinder side wall 39, and a like plurality of locking strips 45 secured to the bottom wall 35 and arranged concentric to the control cylinder as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. The locking strips are secured at one end to the bottom wall 35 and extend upwardly to define a locking slot into which the locking lugs 44 may move. Four locking lugs 44 are provided on the control cylinder, FIG. 6, and four locking strips 45 are provided on the bottom wall 35 of the main body as seen in FIG. 4. The locking strips are arcuate in form looking from the top to conform about the control cylinder, and the strips are spaced apart to define openings 46 into which the locking lugs may drop before being turned into the locking slots defined between the locking strips 45 and the bottom wall 35. As seen particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the locking strips 45 from their point of attachment to the bottom wall to their terminal ends spaced above the bottom wall form a sloping surface over which the locking lugs may ride during rotation of the control cylinder in the seeking of the openings 46 to thereafter accomplish the locking action between the control cylinder and the bottom wall. The control cylinder is locked to the bottom wall of the main body during the time the balls 30 are in their fixed pattern as shown in FIG. 2, and during the time the balls are being mixed and the control cylinder is engaging the guide plate 28 to hold it down as shown in FIG. 3. It should be understood that it is not absolutely necessary to lock the control cylinder to the bottom wall when the balls are arranged in the fixed pattern.

The guide plate 28 is annular in shape and sized to substantially fill the distance between the control cylinder and the cylindrical wall section 37 when in the upper position as shown in FIG. 2, it being understood that sufficient clearance is provided to permit easy vertical movement of the guide plate. The upper surface of the guide plate is provided with a pair of concentric ball grooves 48 and 49 which facilitate location of the balls 30 in concentric rows to coact with the positioning plate. Guide lugs 50, FIG. 12, project inwardly from the inner periphery of the guide plate to coact with control grooves 51 formed in the outer surface of the control cylinder wall 39, FIGS. and 6. Each control groove 51 includes a vertical leg 52 extending substantially along the entire vertical surface of the cylindrical wall 39, horizontal leg 53 extending from the bottom of the vertical leg 52, and a second vertical leg 54 of short height extending from the horizontal leg 53. By virtue of coaction between the guide lugs 50 of the guide plate and the vertical leg 52 of the control groove 51, rotation of the control cylinder 27 will likewise cause rotation of the guide plate 28. When locking the guide plate 28 to its lower position, FIG. 3, to permit mixing ofthe balls in the mixing chamber 33, the control cylinder is raised vertically until the guide lugs 50 of the guide plate bottom against the horizontal leg 53 of the control groove 52. Rotation of the control cylinder in a counter-clockwise direction position causes the lug to traverse the length of the horizontal leg 53 and align with the second vertical leg 54 as the lugs stop against the edge of the leg 54. Downward movement of control cylinder 27 then causes the guide lugs of the guide plate to bottom against the upper end of the vertical leg 54, and further downward movement causes the guide plate to be depressed against the force of spring 55. The control cylinder is arranged so that it can be locked into the down position of the bottom wall 35 by virtue of the locking lugs 44 and the locking strips 45 to thereby lock the guide plate 28 in the lower position as shown in FIG. 3 and permit mixing of the balls without fear of the guide plate moving vertically under the influence of the spring 55. Following mixing of the balls, the control cylinder may then be unlocked from the bottom wall and allowed to rise to bring the balls upwardly toward the positioning plate. Back and forth rotation of the control cylinder, causing back and forth rotation of the guide plate settles the balls into concentric rows as the guide plate rises to its upper position. In the upper position, the guide plate 28 is maintained as shown in FIG. 2 by the spring 55. In order to maintain the spring 55 centered with respect to bottoming against the bottom wall 35 of the main body and against the underside of the guide plate 28, an annular centering guide 56 is provided on the bottom wall, while an annular centering guide 57 is provided on the underside of the guide plate.

The positioning plate 29 functions to fix the positions of the balls in a fixed pattern after they have been mixed, and in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12, is positioned on the top of the main body 26 in fixed relation to the main body. The positioning plate is annular in shape, like the guide plate, and is provided with a plurality of ball holes or sockets 60, arranged in two concentric rows, and sized slightly smaller than the diameter of the balls so that the balls cannot move through the holes. It should be recognized that any number of rows of sockets may be provided to handle the balls, and likewise any number of balls may be provided in the ball mixing device, there normally being one ball socket for each ball so that all of the ball sockets are full when the balls are in the fixed pattern. In a situation where there may be a lesser number of balls than sockets in the positioning plate, and such may be desired for some games, it can be appreciated that some of the sockets would then be empty when the balls are in the fixed pattern condition. The positioning plate 29 may be fastened to the upper end of the main body by any suitable means. While an even number of sockets is illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12, it should be appreciated that an odd number of sockets could be provided where desired.

One form of ball cover is shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12, an individual cover being shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and being formed to have a parti-spherical wall 62 and a handle 63. The wall is formed to cover the ball and to rest against the positioning plate 29. The ball covers are held in place during the mixing operation in proper relationship with the sockets of the positioning plate by the holding lid 32. Suitable means may be provided to lock the holding lid in place, such as coacting latching means on the lid and body. A plurality of ball cover holes 64 are provided in an annular horizontal wall 65 of the holding lid. The ball cover holes 64 are sized to permit the handles 6 of the ball covers to extend therethrough but not to allow the cover to be pulled therethrough. At the inner periphery of the wall 65, a short downwardly extending wall 66 serves to guide the holding lid to its seated position, and when in the seated position the wall 66 abuts against the positioning plate 29 at the inner periphery thereof as seen in FIG. 2. A longer downwardly extending wall 67 at the outer periphery of the annular horizontal wall 65 telescopes over the upper end of the main body 26 to assist in maintaining the holding lid in position on the main body.

Since the ball cover holes 64 must align with the ball sockets of the positioning plate when the holding lid is in position on the main body, guide means are provided to assure the proper alignment of the holding lid, positioning plate and main body. This guide means includes a first tongue means 70 of one cross sectional configuration at one side of the main body, FIG. 2, and a second tongue means 71, of different cross-sectional configuration at the diagrammatically opposite side of the main body. The holding lid, which functions to hold the cover members in place on the positioning plate, can only be applied to the main body in one position in order for the ball cover holes to properly align with the ball sockets of the positioning plate, and therefore the tongue means at opposite sides must be of different configuration. Similarly, to assure correct alignment between the positioning plate and holding lid, first and second tongue means 72 and 73 are formed on the positioning plate 29 which mate with the tongue means 70 and 71 on the main body, and together coact with first and second tongue socket means 74 and 75 formed in the depending wall 67 of the holding lid. Accordingly, when the tongue means andton gue socket means are aligned, the holding lid will have its ball covered holes in correct alignment with the ball sockets of the positioning plate.

It can be appreciated that the ball covers can be held in place on the positioning plate by other means than the holding lid 32. For example, means may be formed on the ball covers to coact with means on the positioning plate to retain the ball covers in place, such as shown in FIG. 13, wherein an annular locking notch 76 is formed at the base of ball cover 77 to coact with a plurality of latch members 78 upstanding from the positioning plate 29A about each of the ball sockets. Three or more latch members circumferentially equally spaced about a ball socket would enable proper locking of a ball cover to the plate. Each latch member would include a relatively thin upstanding stern 78a topped by a ball-shaped head 7811 wherein the stem would flex when necessary to allow the head to resiliently move over to permit the ball cover to snap in place. One side of a cover could first be placed so that one edge would engage the upper surface of the positioning plate and the annular notch thereon would fit with one or more latch member heads. Depressing the other side of the cover would force other latch members away from the socket and allow the cover to move down to the plate after which the latch member heads would snap into the notch and secure the cover in place. To remove a cover, the reverse procedure would force the latch members out during the lifting of a cover from the plate.

Assuming the parts of the device are in the position shown in Fig. 2, and it is desired to carry out a mixing operation of the balls 30, the control cylinder 27 is lifted to engage the guide plate 28 and thereafter depress the guide plate to its lower position as shown in Fig. 3, and lock the control cylinder to the bottom wall to thereby provide the balls in a free state away from the positioning plate. The balls will drop away from the positioning plate by gravity. The main body side wall 36 is flared outwardly at the lower end to increase the space in which the balls may be mixed, it being appreciated by seeing FIG. 3 that the balls 30 are sized with the other parts so that they cannot drop over the outer periphery of the guide plate 28 because of being restrained by the wall 36. When the guide plate is in the lower locked position, the entire ball mixing device may be lifted from a supporting surface, tilted and shaken to facilitate mixing of the balls. Thereafter, upon returning the mixing device to a supporting surface, the control cylinder is operated to unlock it from the bottom wall and allow the spring 55 to elevate the guide plate to place the balls again in a fixed position. As the guide plate rises, it can be rotated by rotation of the control cylinder in either or both directions to permit the settling and dropping of the balls into concentric rows and to facilitate the aligning of the balls with the ball sockets on the positioning plate. Once the balls are in their proper positions, and this can be determined by maintaining the guide lugs 50 of the guide plate against the upper end of the vertical leg 54 of the control cylinder and viewing a mark 75 on the control cylinder which will appear above the holding lid 32. Thereafter, the control cylinder may be raised vertically until it stops against the horizontal leg 53 and rotated clockwise until it stops against the vertical leg 52 and then allow it to more to its lower position with respect to the main body. Following the mixing operation, the holding lid 32 may be removed to thereafter permit removal of the ball covers.

The ball mixing device 25 can be utilized to play any one of a number of games involving balls where the balls would have identifying indicia thereon and mixing of the balls to place them in a pattern of unknown location is desired. One example of such a game would be where an even number of balls are used in sets of two with identical identifying indicia. Following mixing of the balls and placing them in a fixed pattern relative to the positioning plate, with the holding lid removed, each player at his turn would pick up two ball covers. If the balls match he would replace the ball covers with ball covers of a different color, shape or design and hold the removed ball covers at his playing station to be later counted at the conclusion of the game. In this game, there would be two sets of ball covers, easily distinguishable from each other, one set of which would be initially arranged on the balls to conceal their indicia, and the other set of which would be used to replace the original covers as a set of two balls are uncovered and matched. At the conclusion of the game, the player having the largest number of covers at his station would be declared the winner. Thereafter, the game could be repeated by again fixing the covers in place by the holding lid and mixing the balls. This game could also be set up wherein any even number of balls of the same design could be employed.

Referring now to FIG. 14, a modification of the invention is illustrated. The device of this modification is generally designated as 25A, and it differs from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12 in that it is provided with a modified ball positioning plate 80, a modified ball cover 81, and a modified holding lid 32A. The ball positioning plate is again fixed to the main body 26. In place of providing holes in the positioning plate, as in the positioning plate 29, the plate is constructed of transparent material having a plurality of ball sockets 82 in the form of the balls. Again, the balls 30 attain a fixed pattern when they are arranged in the ball sockets 82. The indicia on the balls will show through the transparent positioning plate, and each ball is covered by a ball cover 81 which is H-shaped in vertical cross section, and which essentially includes a cylindrical wall 83 having a radially extending wall 84 arranged therein centrally between the top and bottom of the cylindrical wall 83. Accordingly, there is defined by the ball cover upper and lower wells 85 and 86 each of which may receive the dome shaped wall portion of the positioning plate which defines a ball socket therein. The holding lid 32A differs primarily in that no holes are formed therein to accept the ball covers, it being only necessary to have the lid abut down against the covers. In order to distinguish the placement of the ball cover in the playing of a game, the upper well is of one color while the lower well is of another color. An individual scoring device would be needed to play the matching game heretofore described as the ball cover would essentially remain on the ball with either the color of the top well or the color of the bottom well exposed.

.Another variation of the invention is shown in F 10$. 16 and 17 wherein the guide plate, here identified as 90, differs from the guide plate 28 in that ball cavities 91 are formed in the upper surface of the guide plate to receive the balls. It should be appreciated that the ball cavities could be defined by a closed bottom or an open bottom, but it is shown in FIG. 16 wherein the bottom of the cavities are closed. Additional indicia must be provided on the holding lid and the control cylinder in order to line up the ball sockets of the positioning plate with the ball cavities 91 of the guide plate. As seen in FIG. 17, aligning indicia 92 and 93 is respectfully provided on the control cylinder 27 and the holding lid 32 for the purpose of rotating the control cylinder and guide plate which rotates therewith so that the indicia will align and thereby align the ball sockets of the positioning plate with the ball cavities of the guide plate, and when this is accomplished, the spring 55 will be allowed to further raise the guide plate and place the balls into engagement with the positioning plate in a fixed pattern. It should also be recognized that the upper surface of the guide plate could be smooth.

Another variation of the guide plate structure is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, wherein the guide plate here is generally designated as the numeral 95 and wherein it differs from the guide plate of the embodiment of FIGS. 16 and 17 in that it includes a tongue 96 extending from the peripheral edge thereof in such alignment with the ball cavities so that when it coacts with a groove 97 formed in the cylindrical section 37 of the main body upstanding wall, the ball cavities 91 will align with the ball sockets of the positioning plate. lndicia would also be used on the control cylinder and the holding lid to facilitate aligning of the tongue 96 with the groove 97.

A further modification of the invention is shown in FIGS. 20-22, wherein the guide plate would take the same form as in the embodiment of FIGS. 16 and 17. The positioning plate herein designated as 100 would not be fixed to the main body 101, but would be provided with guide lugs 102 at its inner periphery in the same manner as the guide lugs 50 of the guide plate 95 so that the positioning plate 100 would rotate with the guide plate and control cylinder 103. Thus, the ball sockets 104 in the positioning plate 100 would always be aligned with the ball cavities 91 of the guide plate 90. The outer periphery of the positioning plate would be held against vertical movement but be restrained in an annular groove 105 formed at the upper end of the main body 101. In this embodiment, it would not be necessary to provide tongue means and tongue socket means for aligning holding lid 106 with the ball covers 107, as the holding lid would also rotate with the guide plate and the positioning plate during rotational operation of same. However, to facilitate initial positioning of the holding lid on the positioning plate, a plurality of pins 108 may be provided extending downwardly from the inner flange 109 which mate with sockets 110 formed at the inner periphery of the positioning plate and in locations to cause alignment of holes 111 in the lid with the ball covers 107.

Locking means is provided at the outer flange 112 in the form of a plurality of inwardly projecting circumferentially spaced locking lugs 113 which coact with a plurality of vertical slots 114 formed in the outer edge of lip 115 on body 101 when the lid is lowered into place after which the lid is rotated relative the body to cause the locking lugs to be offset from the slots and engage the underside of the lip and lock the lid to the body.

The control cylinder 103, vertically movable along cylinder guide 116, differs from the control cylinder 27 in that grooves are provided in the outer surface for receiving the guide lugs 102 of the positioning plate. Vertical grooves 117 receive both the positioning plate and guide plate lugs 102 and 50. Horizontal grooves 118 are provided for positioning plate lugs 102, while horizontal grooves 119 are provided for guide plate lugs 50. Vertical grooves 120 receive positioning plate lugs 102, while vertical grooves 121 receive guide plate lugs 50. Stops 122 are provided in grooves 121 to enable depressing the guide plate to its lower position during ball mixing. When the control cylinder 103 is elevated and rotated to latch the guide plate thereto for moving the guide plate to its lower position, the positioning plate lugs track first in the horizontal grooves 118 and then in the vertical grooves 120, while the guide plate lugs 50 track first in the horizontal grooves 119 and then in the vertical grooves 121. The reverse takes place when the guide plate is in the upper position and being released from the control cylinder.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

This invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A ball mixing device for mixing a plurality of balls and placing them in a fixed pattern comprising, a body having a bottom wall and a tubular upstanding outer wall, a rotatable control cylinder guideably arranged on a centrally positioned guide extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said body, a guide plate movable between upper and lower positions within said body and along said control cylinder and rotatable with said control cylinder, means for constraining said guide plate for vertical movement with said control cylinder, means for normally urging said guide plate to the upper position, means on the control cylinder and said bottom wall for retaining said guide plate in the lower position when said guide plate is constrained by said control cylinder, a positioning plate mounted on the upper end of the body having a plurality of ball sockets formed therein and being above and parallel to the guide plate, and a plurality of balls between the positioning plate and the guide plate, whereby the positions of the balls relative each other may be freely changed when the guide plate is in the lower position and the positions of the balls are locked into the sockets of the positioning plate when the guide plate is in the upper position.

2. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means fixing the positioning plate to the body.

3. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and cover members for said balls adapted to sit on the positioning plate over said ball sockets.

4. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 3, and means for holding the cover members in place against the positioning plate when the balls are being mixed.

5. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 4, wherein said holding means comprises a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body for holding the cover members in place.

6. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 4, wherein said holding means includes latch members on said positioning plate coacting with socket means on said cover members.

7. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, indicia on the balls, and cover members having handles extending therefrom for covering the ball sockets and thereby concealing the indicia on the balls after the balls have been mixed.

8. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 7, and a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body for holding the cover members in place against the positioning plate and over the ball sockets when the balls are being mixed, including holes receiving the handles of the cover members.

9. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 8, and means on said lid and positioning plate coacting to thereby guide the placement of the lid holes relative the ball sockets in the positioning plate.

10. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 8, and means on said lid, positioning plate and body coacting to guide the placement of the lid holes relative the sockets in the positioning plate.

11. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 10, and coacting means on the lid and body for locking the lid to the body.

12. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide and positioning plates are in the form of rings, and of such width as to accommodate a plurality of concentric rows of balls.

13. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 12, wherein the outermost row of balls includes more balls than the next inner row, andthe total number of balls is such as to fill each row and each socket.

14. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 12, and annular grooves in said guide plate to guide the balls into rows.

15. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 3, said tubular upstanding outer wall of said body being larger at the bottom end than at the upper end to provide a large area for ball mixing.

16. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 12, said tubular upstanding outer wall of said body being frusto-conical with the larger end at the bottom wall, whereby the wall cams the balls together in concentric rows when the guide plate is being elevated to bring the balls into the sockets of the positioning plate.

17. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the upper end of the outer wall where the guide plate rests in its upper position is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the guide plate and the bottom end of the outer wall at the lower position of the guide plate is of such width that less than onehalf of a ball will extend beyond the outer edge of the guide plate.

18. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means on said control member indicating when the guide plate is in the upper position and the balls are in the sockets.

19. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means on the control member and guide plate coacting to prevent relative rotation therebetween, while permitting relative slidable movement therebetween.

' 20. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein said last named means includes means protruding from the guide plate into vertical grooves formed on the control cylinder.

21. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 20, wherein said constraining means for retaining the guide plate in the lower position includes horizontal groove means extending from the bottom end of the vertical grooves on the control cylinder and into which the protruding means of the guide plate may move.

22. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means on the control cylinder coacting with means on the bottom wall for locking the central cylinder against the bottom wall.

23. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ball sockets in the positioning plate are defined by holes sized smaller than the diameter of the balls.

24. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ball sockets in the positioning plate are defined by domeshaped portions, said positioning plate being of transparent material so that the balls may be viewed when in position against the positioning plate.

25. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 24, and cover members for covering the dome-shaped portions to conceal the balls, said cover members being cylindrical in shape and reversible mounted on the positioning plate, and means on opposite ends of the cover members for distinguishing therebetween.

26. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide plate includes ball cavities for receiving the balls, and means for aligning the ball cavities with the ball sockets of said positioning plate.

27. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 26, a ball cover for each of said balls arranged on the positioning plate over each of the ball sockets therein, and a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body in alignment with the positioning plate for holding the ball covers in place against the positioning plate when the balls are mixed.

28. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 27, wherein said aligning means includes coacting indicia on the control cylinder and on the hold-down lid.

29. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 2b, wherein said aligning means also includes a tongue on said guide plate matable into a vertical groove formed on the body.

30. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, means on said body rotationally mounting said positioning plate, coacting means on the positioning plate and control cylinder permitting the control cylinder to move vertically relative the positioning plate while coupling the positioning plate to the control cylinder for co-rotation therewith, and said guide plate having ball cavities for receiving the balls and which are aligned with the ball sockets in the positioning plate by coacting means on the guide plate and control cylinder.

31. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 30, a ball cover for each of said balls arranged on the positioning plate over each of the ball sockets therein, and a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body for holding the ball covers in place over the ball sockets and against the positioning plate when the balls are mixed.

32. A ball mixing device for mixing a plurality of balls and placing them in a fixed pattern comprising, a body having a bottom wall and a tubular upstanding outer wall, centrally positioned guide means extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said body, a guide plate movable between upper and lower positions within said body along and rotatable about said guide means, means for normally urging said guide plate to the upper position, means for moving said guide plate to said lower position, a positioning plate mounted on the upper end of the body having a pluralit of ball sockets formed therein and being above and paralle to the guide plate, and a plurality of balls between the positioning plate and the guide plate, whereby the positions of the balls relative each other may be freely changed when the guide plate is in the lower position and the positions of the balls are locked into the sockets of the positioning plate when the guide plate is in the upper position. 

1. A ball mixing device for mixing a plurality of balls and placing them in a fixed pattern comprising, a body having a bottom wall and a tubular upstanding outer wall, a rotatable control cylinder guideably arranged on a centrally positioned guide extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said body, a guide plate movable between upper and lower positions within said body and along said control cylinder and rotatable with said control cylinder, means for constraining said guide plate for vertical movement with said control cylinder, means for normally urging said guide plate to the upper position, means on the control cylinder and said bottom wall for retaining said guide plate in the lower position when said guide plate is constrained by said control cylinder, a positioning plate mounted on the upper end of the body having a plurality of ball sockets formed therein and being above and parallel to the guide plate, and a pluRality of balls between the positioning plate and the guide plate, whereby the positions of the balls relative each other may be freely changed when the guide plate is in the lower position and the positions of the balls are locked into the sockets of the positioning plate when the guide plate is in the upper position.
 2. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means fixing the positioning plate to the body.
 3. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and cover members for said balls adapted to sit on the positioning plate over said ball sockets.
 4. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 3, and means for holding the cover members in place against the positioning plate when the balls are being mixed.
 5. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 4, wherein said holding means comprises a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body for holding the cover members in place.
 6. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 4, wherein said holding means includes latch members on said positioning plate coacting with socket means on said cover members.
 7. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, indicia on the balls, and cover members having handles extending therefrom for covering the ball sockets and thereby concealing the indicia on the balls after the balls have been mixed.
 8. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 7, and a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body for holding the cover members in place against the positioning plate and over the ball sockets when the balls are being mixed, including holes receiving the handles of the cover members.
 9. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 8, and means on said lid and positioning plate coacting to thereby guide the placement of the lid holes relative the ball sockets in the positioning plate.
 10. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 8, and means on said lid, positioning plate and body coacting to guide the placement of the lid holes relative the sockets in the positioning plate.
 11. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 10, and coacting means on the lid and body for locking the lid to the body.
 12. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide and positioning plates are in the form of rings, and of such width as to accommodate a plurality of concentric rows of balls.
 13. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 12, wherein the outermost row of balls includes more balls than the next inner row, and the total number of balls is such as to fill each row and each socket.
 14. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 12, and annular grooves in said guide plate to guide the balls into rows.
 15. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 3, said tubular upstanding outer wall of said body being larger at the bottom end than at the upper end to provide a large area for ball mixing.
 16. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 12, said tubular upstanding outer wall of said body being frusto-conical with the larger end at the bottom wall, whereby the wall cams the balls together in concentric rows when the guide plate is being elevated to bring the balls into the sockets of the positioning plate.
 17. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the upper end of the outer wall where the guide plate rests in its upper position is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the guide plate and the bottom end of the outer wall at the lower position of the guide plate is of such width that less than one-half of a ball will extend beyond the outer edge of the guide plate.
 18. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means on said control member indicating when the guide plate is in the upper position and the balls are in the sockets.
 19. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means on the control member and guide plate coacting to prevent relative rotation therebetween, while permitting relative slidable movement therebetween.
 20. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein said last named means includes meAns protruding from the guide plate into vertical grooves formed on the control cylinder.
 21. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 20, wherein said constraining means for retaining the guide plate in the lower position includes horizontal groove means extending from the bottom end of the vertical grooves on the control cylinder and into which the protruding means of the guide plate may move.
 22. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, and means on the control cylinder coacting with means on the bottom wall for locking the central cylinder against the bottom wall.
 23. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ball sockets in the positioning plate are defined by holes sized smaller than the diameter of the balls.
 24. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ball sockets in the positioning plate are defined by dome-shaped portions, said positioning plate being of transparent material so that the balls may be viewed when in position against the positioning plate.
 25. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 24, and cover members for covering the dome-shaped portions to conceal the balls, said cover members being cylindrical in shape and reversible mounted on the positioning plate, and means on opposite ends of the cover members for distinguishing therebetween.
 26. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide plate includes ball cavities for receiving the balls, and means for aligning the ball cavities with the ball sockets of said positioning plate.
 27. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 26, a ball cover for each of said balls arranged on the positioning plate over each of the ball sockets therein, and a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body in alignment with the positioning plate for holding the ball covers in place against the positioning plate when the balls are mixed.
 28. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 27, wherein said aligning means includes coacting indicia on the control cylinder and on the hold-down lid.
 29. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 28, wherein said aligning means also includes a tongue on said guide plate matable into a vertical groove formed on the body.
 30. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 1, means on said body rotationally mounting said positioning plate, coacting means on the positioning plate and control cylinder permitting the control cylinder to move vertically relative the positioning plate while coupling the positioning plate to the control cylinder for co-rotation therewith, and said guide plate having ball cavities for receiving the balls and which are aligned with the ball sockets in the positioning plate by coacting means on the guide plate and control cylinder.
 31. A ball mixing device as defined in claim 30, a ball cover for each of said balls arranged on the positioning plate over each of the ball sockets therein, and a removable hold-down lid mountable on the body for holding the ball covers in place over the ball sockets and against the positioning plate when the balls are mixed.
 32. A ball mixing device for mixing a plurality of balls and placing them in a fixed pattern comprising, a body having a bottom wall and a tubular upstanding outer wall, centrally positioned guide means extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said body, a guide plate movable between upper and lower positions within said body along and rotatable about said guide means, means for normally urging said guide plate to the upper position, means for moving said guide plate to said lower position, a positioning plate mounted on the upper end of the body having a plurality of ball sockets formed therein and being above and parallel to the guide plate, and a plurality of balls between the positioning plate and the guide plate, whereby the positions of the balls relative each other may be freely changed when the guide plate is in the lower position and the positions of the balls are locked into the sockets of the positioning plate when the guide Plate is in the upper position. 